The French Minister of the Interior, Bernard Cazeneuve, announced on 26 October 2016 the Government plan for public security, which will be awarded 250 million euros and which will be presented to Parliament at the end of November. This plan has two objectives: to improve the protection and the equipment of Police and Gendarmerie agents, and to readdress their mission.
Improvements in police equipment
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Bullet-proof helmets, bullet-proof vests, assault rifles HK G36. From 1st January 2017: 20,000 vests, 8,000 helmets and 4,730 shield and new weapons will be provided.
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Fireproof uniforms, reinforcement of the windscreens of police vehicles and availability of specially protected vehicles to be used in more conflictive neighbourhoods.
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Continuation of the renewal of vehicles: in 2017 the national police will receive 3,080 the Gendarmerie 3,300.
Improvements in legal protection
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The legitimate defence of the police: in accordance with instructions from the President of the Republic, within the framework of the rule of law the bases for protecting the police force will be reviewed.
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Toughening of sentences for offending the police, likening these to those given in the case of offences against judges. At present, an offence against an officer is punished with a six-month prison term whereas an offence against a judge is met with a one-year sentence.
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Reinforcing measures to protect the anonymity of a police officer. In response to a “demand” from police unions, balaclavas may once again be used in certain interventions.
Readdress the mission of the police and the gendarmerie
“The plan wishes to readdress the mission of law-enforcement agencies and get back to the essence by relieving them of certain costly, time-consuming and labour-intensive tasks”, in the words of the Minister of the Interior:
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Static security services in public buildings will be substituted by more dynamic units, a measure which may be introduced before the end of 2016.
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Taking people to accidents and emergency wards will no longer be done (especially if it is a case of drunkenness).
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Administrative and penal bureaucracy is lightened.
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There are closer links between the police and justice departments, so police officers will be better informed about the development of penal cases which are related to their activity, particularly when these involve common crimes. This shared information will help to create a climate of trust between judges and law-enforcement agencies, according to the Minister of the Interior.
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